Odorrana


Odorrana is a genus of true frogs from East Asia and surrounding regions. Many of these frogs inhabit fast-flowing mountain streams, and they typically have a remarkably pointed snout, as evidenced by common names like tip-nosed frog and scientific names like nasica or nasutus.

Systematics and taxonomy

Odorrana has a confusing taxonomic and systematic history. Most species placed here were initially placed in Rana. Some were considered to belong in Amolops and Huia instead, and yet again others were separated as Eburana. The most extreme proposal was to merge Odorrana into Huia.
In the early 21st century, molecular phylogenetic studies established that the systematic confusion was due to widespread convergent evolution between Amolops, Huia and Odorrana, which actually represent quite distinct lineages of Raninae. This necessitated some taxonomic changes, especially affecting Huia. It was also found that Odorrana is a rather close relative of Rana - possibly the most closely related living lineage. And while it is not completely certain that Odorrana is in fact a distinct genus, the available evidence points towards this being so.
Initial studies have revealed what seems to be several clades of Odorrana, which are sometimes considered subgenera. But few species have had their DNA sequence data sampled, and that the convergent evolution is liable to obscure relationships if assessed by morphology alone:

  • Odorrana absita
  • Odorrana amamiensis - Amami Tip-nosed Frog
  • Odorrana andersonii
  • Odorrana anlungensis
  • Odorrana aureola
  • Odorrana bacboensis
  • Odorrana banaorum
  • Odorrana bolavensis
  • Odorrana cangyuanensis
  • Odorrana chapaensis
  • Odorrana chloronota
  • Odorrana exiliversabilis
  • Odorrana fengkaiensis
  • Odorrana geminata
  • Odorrana gigatympana
  • Odorrana grahami
  • Odorrana graminea
  • Odorrana hainanensis
  • Odorrana hejiangensis
  • Odorrana hosii - Hose's Frog
  • Odorrana huanggangensis
  • Odorrana indeprensa
  • Odorrana ishikawae - Ishikawa's Frog
  • Odorrana jingdongensis
  • Odorrana junlianensis
  • Odorrana khalam
  • Odorrana kuangwuensis
  • Odorrana kweichowensis
  • Odorrana leporipes
  • Odorrana lipuensis
  • Odorrana livida
  • Odorrana lungshengensis
  • Odorrana macrotympana
  • Odorrana margaretae
  • Odorrana mawphlangensis
  • Odorrana monjerai
  • Odorrana morafkai
  • Odorrana mutschmanni Pham, Nguyen, Le, Bonkowski, and Ziegler, 2016
  • Odorrana nanjiangensis Fei, Ye, Xie & Jiang, 2007
  • Odorrana narina - Ryukyu Tip-nosed Frog
  • Odorrana nasica - Long-snout Torrent Frog
  • Odorrana nasuta
  • Odorrana orba
  • Odorrana rotodora
  • Odorrana schmackeri
  • Odorrana sinica
  • Odorrana splendida
  • Odorrana supranarina
  • Odorrana swinhoana
  • Odorrana tianmuii
  • Odorrana tiannanensis
  • Odorrana tormota - Concave-eared Torrent Frog
  • Odorrana trankieni
  • Odorrana utsunomiyaorum
  • Odorrana versabilis
  • Odorrana wuchuanensis
  • Odorrana yentuensis
  • Odorrana yizhangensis
  • Odorrana zhaoi

In addition, the Phu Luang Cliff Frog might belong in Odorrana too.

Footnotes